Sales Manager - French Speaking

Imagine working for a company with a mission you can truly believe in, a playful and energetic culture, a talented team of coworkers, and a bright future!  Melissa & Doug, the toy company committed to nurturing childhood wonder, is looking for a Sales Manager - France .  In this role, you’ll be an essential part of our mission to inspire creativity and imagination in children throughout the world with thoughtfully designed toys that spark free play.

ROLE OVERVIEW
Are you ready for an exciting opportunity to represent Melissa & Doug in a customer facing role, working with some of the largest and most well-known retail chains and ecommerce retailers in the nation?

This key role is critical to delivering our company’s strategic plan.   With the support of a talented and experienced analytical and sales support team, you will be directly involved in opening and developing new accounts, building fantastic relationships with our customers, and driving profitable sales growth for the company. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establish and build relationships with the key contacts at the accounts you manage
• Craft and execute an account strategy for each account you manage, designed to achieve the goals for the account and consistent with our company’s overall strategy and vision
• Present and sell-in proposed new products and programs to each customer and convey the merits of each product and program offered, secure incremental shelf space in our customers’ stores for expansion of our existing programs and for introduction of our new product segments
• Build and optimize instore plan-o-grams in order to enhance brand statement and to drive maximum sales productivity of the sections
• Work with external parties to come up with effective and impactful merchandising displays, and present these ideas to our customers in order to secure incremental floor/shelf space for our products
• Identify and assess account investment opportunities for promotions, marketing and merchandising, and determine ROI potential
• With the support of our internal marketing team, devise and present a marketing plan supportive of the objectives for each account managed
• Effectively communicate our company’s “Power of Play” mission and other core values to the customer, conveying how the customer can participate in, and benefit from, partnering with us on this
• Build a promotional calendar as part of an overall account business plan and determine the shipment needs to support promotional events, with an eye towards driving profitable and incremental volume
• Maximize our sales through customer ecommerce platforms in a profitable manner that optimizes our brand presentation and protects our brand integrity and value proposition in the marketplace
• Identify and track key performance indicators to measure business success at each account managed, review and ensure ongoing productivity and profitability of the retailer assortment
• Closely manage sales trends, inventory levels and customer receipt plans, with goal of capturing upside potential and minimizing inventory exposure
• Compile projections for new product and new customer launches, and maintain monthly forecasts by account for our internal demand planning
• Coordinate with internal resources on custom products, availability, order flow, order issues, promotional materials, etc. (interfacing with product development, logistics, demand planning, marketing)

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 5+ years of sales experience, with P&L responsibility
• Experience in selling into a retail sales channel preferred
• Evidence of success in driving sales, achieving sales objectives, and overcoming customer objections
• Strong analytical/math skills, adept at using Excel, and excellent attention to detail
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills – articulate, dynamic and engaging personality
• Must be able to travel approximately 30% of the time
• Bachelor’s degree
• Must be fluent in French and English

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

• Salary: Excellent Package, dependent on experience
• Company Bonus and Car Allowance
• Pension Scheme
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Flexible working hours; start and finish time
• Employee discount on Melissa & Doug Toys
• An opportunity to work in a fast paced, friendly environment and make an impact

OUR STORY
Melissa and Doug began working out of a garage in 1988 making toys that ignite imagination and inspire our children. While the company has grown to include thousands of products and more than 600 employees, it still has the heart of a start-up! Today our toys are distributed in more than 100 countries, enjoyed by more than 60m families and we are the #1 parent recommended toy brand for creativity and learning.  We are approaching $1BB at retail annually yet the quality of every toy, the experience of every child, and the trust of every parent remains at the center of everything we do.  To learn even more about our mission, our history and our movement to Take Back Childhood, go to www.MelissaAndDoug.com

Melissa & Doug proudly goes beyond being an equal opportunity employer, we work hard to sustain and enhance the natural and organic inclusivity that is fostered every day, by every employee.  We don’t do this because anyone tells us this is important, we do it because we genuinely want every person who comes to work here to be treated with respect and dignity and to be comfortable being their most authentic, genuine selves.

We hire for character, kindness, humanity, moral fiber and experience...therefore, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. We look forward to meeting you!